Saturday, February 20, 2010

Road Progress I: Carney disses Rendell on I-80 tolls

LEWISBURG – An official decision awaits on whether I-80 will be tolled—but U.S. Congressman Chris Carney (D-10th, Dimock) says he has been fighting very hard to make sure that does not happen. He adds that he is confused by a recent budget decision made by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. Rendell included revenues from I-80 tolls in the 2010-2011 budget.

Carney says it’s premature to expect money from something that doesn’t exist yet. Carney says we are at a point in our region where we’re poised to take off economically and if I-80 is tolled it would be a job killer. He says one more ‘no’ to the proposal would put the issue to rest, because the state has already denied it twice.

Carney says news will come fairly soon, likely in the next month, on the decision to toll I-80. This was one of Carney’s topics as he spoke at meeting in Lewisburg sponsored by the Central Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce. (Sara Bartlett)

Road Progress II: More stimulus funded project coming to The Valley

HARRISBURG – About half the statewide highway projects funded by the $787 billion dollar American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 are now complete. However, the stimulus bill signed into law a little more than one year ago will fund some of the work you’ll likely see this summer. More than eight miles of Sunbury Street and Snydertown Road from Snydertown to Paxinos will be resurfaced.

PennDOT says the $2.6 million dollar project should start in the spring and continue through late August. $3.1 million dollars worth of rehab is also planned for bridges on I-180 near McEwensville. Those bridges cross Route 44; the work is scheduled to start in April and will likely continue into November.

In Union County, expect to see work on a Route 15 bridge over Cross Road Drive in West Milton. The 1.3 million dollar project is planned for April to September. Elsewhere, Snyder County’s Paxton Street Bridge over Middle Creek near Paxtonville is still slated for replacement. The $1.8 million dollar project is planned for June to November. Likewise, three other bridge rehab projects in the area could extend through November.

They include a structure on Route 35 over a tributary to Middle Creek near Kantz, and two in Locust Township, Columbia County. A Route 42 bridge over Roaring Creek and a Mill Road crossing of a tributary to Roaring Creek. PennDOT notes they’d awarded bids on all but one of the 326 stimulus bill projects by the end of January, two months before the federal deadline to have funds reserved for all projects. (Matt Farrand)

Road Progress III: Carney…key to CSVT is ‘toll credits’

SUNBURY – Congressman Chris Carney (D-10th, Dimock) says toll credits could be the answer to getting more funding for the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway Project. Toll credits are the projected revenue the state estimates it would make on the toll roads. They use the estimate to determine the federal match. Carney was a guest on WKOK’s On The Mark program Friday talking about the latest on the bypass.

Carney says as of 2005, Congress has not allowed Appalachian Regional Commission states, like Pennsylvania, to use toll credits for highway projects. Carney says along with Congressman Bill Schuster, he has been working change that. If it were changed, toll credits would be used for transportation projects, including the CSVT.

Carney says the bypass will get done eventually and says he continues to explore all funding options. Carney talked about another of other topics as he prepares for a big election in November. You can hear more from Chris Carney from our Friday On The Mark program online at www.wkok.com. (Ali Stevens)

Neighbors cry ‘fowl’ when man shoots their birds

MIFFLINBURG – A Union County woman has been charged with disorderly conduct after several chickens were shot on her property. State troopers say, 36-year-old Jodi Delp of Mifflinburg allegedly told her teenage sun to shoot the birds, which had wandered onto their property. The Daily Item reports—the neighbor had been warned to keep its fowl to themselves. The incident happened in the Mifflinburg area recently.

Developing our sense of place—the topic of a symposium next month

SUNBURY – The ‘sense of place’ that a community exhibits might not be a phrase that lots of folks think about every day, but it is critical to tourism and other forms of economic development. Dan Shilling, the Project Director at the Arizona State University tells us, the ‘sense of place’ is the intelligence that residents learn about their own community, and their knowledge that they are the key to its bright future.

Shilling said the tourism agencies and others were already been urging tourism for years, but it wasn’t until entire communities bought into the idea—that their home was a destination, and that their home towns were ‘sacred ground’ that they bought into the destination idea and began bring in friends and visitors.

On our Roundtable program this weekend, we talk to Shilling, along with two others involved in the upcoming Susquehanna Greenway Symposium. The symposium is set for March 18th at Bucknell’s Langone Center. More information at www.susquehannagreenway.org.

You can hear Roundtable (Sunday) on, Eagle 107 (107.3FM) at 6a.m., 100.9 (100.9FM), The Valley, at 6a.m., Newsradio 1070 WKOK (1070AM) at 9a.m., Talkradio 1380 WMLP (1380AM), 11a.m., 94KX WQKX (94.1FM) at 11p.m. and anytime, at www.wkok.com.

Diversity group to stage Wizard of Oz-themed dance

LEWISBURG – A second Wizard of Oz-themed dance is planned for Saturday, to benefit a Lewisburg based group that promotes social diversity. The “Surrender Dorothy” dance is a fundraiser for the Community Alliance for Respect and Equality.

Cindy Peltier of Lewisburg is a member, and says CARE encourages local acceptance of all cultures, holds monthly meetings, and offers programs at no charge, as well as counseling and referral for those who have experienced discrimination.

The long-time member admits the theme of the dance is unusual, but a good way for people to remember the event. A $5 dollar donation will admit patrons to the event, planned for Saturday night from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., at the Parkview on South 6th Street in Lewisburg. (Matt Farrand)

Steroid abuse educator at Susquehanna University

SELINSGROVE – A NCAA-sanctioned speaker will talk about athletes, steroids and steroid abuse at a free event Sunday on the campus of Susquehanna University. John Willis will make the presentation about the dangers of the drugs.

Willis is formerly of the Chicago Police Department and the FBI, and is a leading expert on steroids education. SU’s football team and the university’s football alumni association organized the event. It is free and open to the public Sunday at 6:30p.m. in the Degenstein Center Theater on campus.

Police warn of phone and mail scams

MIFFLINBURG – Mifflinburg Police are warning people of a money scam that is circulating in Union County. Police say the scam is targeting senior citizens by sending them information that looks like it is from the Publishers Clearing House.

It instructs them to call a number, which turns out to be an answering machine and asks for personal information. Police are reminding people to never give any personal information unless they have knowledge of who they are releasing it to.

Fifth Republican enters race

RIVERSIDE – Another Republican is in the race for the 108th district seat currently held by State Representative Merle Phillips (R-108th, Sunbury). Ken Snyder of Riverside says he is gathering signatures. Snyder calls himself a working man, who never had intentions of entering politics, but feels that now is a good time. He says the government is sticking too far in people’s pockets, and he wants to stop that. He says one issue he has is the proposed tolling of Interstate 80.

Snyder is the fifth Republican to enter the race, behind Phillips’ legislative aide Lynda Schlegel-Culver, former Northumberland County Commissioner Sam Deitrick, Northumberland County Controller Chuck Erdman and Wood-Mode employee Stanley Geiswhite. The only Democratic candidate is local attorney Antonio Michetti.

Man with smoked pot plants turns himself in

SHAMOKIN – A Shamokin man who was charged with growing marijuana plants in his home has turned himself in to police. The News Item reports 37-year-old Christopher Elliott was arraigned Thursday morning on charges of manufacturing and possessing marijuana and was released on bail. Police discovered the marijuana in Elliot’s home after a fire broke out last Friday night.

47 pot plants were confiscated along with a large amount of marijuana, a gun and ammunition. Fire caused damage to the home at 449 South Harrison Street in Shamokin. No injuries were reported, but a neighboring home was also damaged in the fire, which was ruled accidental and electrical in nature. (Ali Stevens)

Danville cops: Danville man is prowler

DANVILLE – A Danville man is behind bars, accused of prowling near home on Laurel Lane in Danville. 19-year-old Medhat Ammar is charged with theft and disorderly conduct for the incident February 10th. Police say Ammar was trying to break into a parked vehicle near the home around 11:00p.m. and they were able to follow tracks in the snow to locate him. He was taken into custody and arraigned and sent to the Montour County Prison on $20,000 bail. (Ali Stevens)

Jury: Turbotville man was stalker

SUNBURY – A Turbotville man has been convicted of stalking. Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Rosini tells us 26-year-old Lance Yarish is facing 5 years in prison for leaving various items in the mailbox of a female neighbor.

He also left some items on her porch and is accused of ringing her doorbell and calling her late at night. Yarish will be sentenced in early May and the D.A.’s office will seek a mental health evaluation and treatment also. (Ali Stevens)

Latest Pennsylvania news, sports, lottery, business and entertainment

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - First Lady Michelle Obama says too many people across the country don't have a grocery store nearby where they can get fresh food. Mrs. Obama visited the Fairhill Elementary School in North Philadelphia on Friday afternoon as part of her campaign to curb childhood obesity. She announced plans for more than $400 million in funding to help bring healthy food retailers to underserved communities. She says Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania have done great work to increase access to fresh foods and combat obesity. She observed that six years ago the state invested $30 million in fresh food initiatives that helped fund 83 supermarkets statewide. She also stopped by a North Philadelphia grocery store.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) - Former Lt. Gov. Mark Singel says he'll run for the 12th District Congressional seat vacated by the death of fellow Democrat John Murtha. Singel was a state senator from 1981 to 1987 before becoming lieutenant governor under Gov. Robert Casey. Singel is a Johnstown native and announced his candidacy there. That was Murtha's hometown. The special election to fill the rest of Murtha's term will be held as part of Pennsylvania's May 18 primary. Also decided that day will be the Democrat and Republican nominees for November's general election to decide who will serve a full two-year term in the seat. Former Pennsylvania treasurer and auditor general Barbara Hafer has also said she will run for Murtha's seat.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A law-enforcement official with knowledge of the case says the FBI has opened a criminal investigation into a Pennsylvania school district accused of activating webcams on school-issued laptops inside students' homes without their knowledge. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity and said the FBI will explore whether Lower Merion School District officials broke any federal wiretap or computer-intrusion laws. Lower Merion officials say they remotely activated webcams 42 times to find missing student laptops in the past 14 months, but never did so to spy on students, as a recent lawsuit claims. The Montgomery County district attorney also is gathering information to determine whether to open an investigation.

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) - Federal marshals have captured a Centre County man wanted on charges of sexual assault of a child. The U.S. Marshals Service said 22-year-old Michael Gregory Martinez, of State College, was apprehended in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Friday after being on the run since December. Marshals say he was taken into custody without incident. Martinez is accused of sexually assaulting a child beginning in October 2006, when the victim was 6, until May 2009. He is charged with two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, three counts of indecent assault, and related counts. There was no phone listing for Michael Martinez in State College and it couldn't be immediately determined if he had an attorney.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - A witness in the corruption trial of the former No. 2 state House Democrat says he continued doing political fundraising on state time after he got a new boss. Patrick Lavelle said under cross-examination Friday that he continued fundraising after joining the staff of now-House Speaker Keith McCall. Lavelle testified in the trial of former House Democratic whip Mike Veon. McCall became whip after Veon lost his 2006 election. McCall hasn't been charged with wrongdoing. A top McCall aide says Lavelle was instructed to do fundraising only after hours. He says the office is unaware of any such political work on state time. Lavelle indicated that the vast majority of his work for McCall was legitimate. He says he spent 80 percent of his time under Veon doing fundraising.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell says the state's Department of Transportation will release fuel payments to local municipalities a month early to help with the costs of cleaning up after a pair of strong winter storms. Rendell on Friday directed PennDOT to release $308 million in liquid fuel payments to local governments starting March 1. PennDOT usually issues the payments to 2,556 local governments on April 1 to help cover the costs of transportation expenses including snow removal. Rendell says getting the funds out early will help communities pay off expenses related to the back-to-back storms that dumped more than three feet of snow in parts of southern Pennsylvania earlier this month.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

WKOK/AP Business Minute

NEW YORK (AP) - With Friday's modest gains, the stock market managed to close higher every session this week. The Dow today gained 9 to 10,402. The S&P and the Nasdaq were both up 2 points. The key averages saw gains of about 3 percent for the week.

NEW YORK (AP) - Oil prices are again flirting with $80 a barrel after a two-week rally. Benchmark crude for March delivery added 75 cents to settle at $79.81 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Reserve seems likely to keep interest rates at record lows for several more months after today's news that consumer prices excluding food and energy fell in January. It was the first time the so-called core rate has dropped in any month since 1982.

NEW YORK (AP) - General Motors says CEO Ed Whitacre will receive a pay package valued at $9 million this year. Whitacre took over in December as interim CEO and was named to the post permanently in January. He will get a cash salary of $1.7 million, as well as stock awards worth up to $7.3 million that can be sold when the automaker goes public again.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. (AP) - A jury has awarded a woman $23 million in a civil judgment against Ford for a 2007 freeway accident that left her a quadriplegic. The woman lost control of her 1997 Ford Explorer when the tread separated from her left-rear tire as she drove on the freeway. Ford plans to appeal the decision.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Pennsylvania Lottery Numbers

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The winning numbers in Friday evening's drawing of the Pennsylvania Lottery's "Cash 5" game were: 08-09-17-30-40

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The winning numbers in Friday evening's drawing of the Pennsylvania Lottery's "Super 7" game were: 05-20-28-31-42-44-50-54-57-72-77

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The winning numbers in Friday evening's drawing of the Pennsylvania Lottery's "Daily Number" game were: 1-3-0

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The winning numbers in Friday evening's drawing of the Pennsylvania Lottery's "Evening Quinto" game were: 2-2-7-1-6

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The winning numbers in Friday evening's drawing of the Pennsylvania Lottery's "Big 4" game were: 9-2-2-8

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - These Pennsylvania lotteries were drawn on Friday:

Midday Big 4 5-4-5-7

Midday Number 3-9-8

Midday Quinto 7-3-4-9-8

Treasure Hunt 07-09-10-15-19

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Duff engaged to hockey player

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) - Here's something for "Gossip Girl" to talk about. Actress and singer Hilary Duff, who had a recurring guest role on the popular CW series last season, is engaged to Edmonton Oilers forward Mike Comrie. Publicist Nanci Ryder says the two were engaged last weekend while vacationing in Hawaii. She says in an e-mail distributed by the Oilers on Friday that the two "are very excited to share this happy news." The proposal comes during the NHL's two-week break for the Olympics. The 22-year-old Duff and 29-year-old Comrie had been dating for over two years.

Artists record "We are the World" in Spanish

MIAMI (AP) - Emilio and Gloria Estefan, Quincy Jones and other singers are partnering with Univision to record a Spanish-language version of "We are the World" to raise money for Haiti earthquake victims. Other singers who were to participate in recording the track Friday are Banda El Recodo, Carlos Santana, Chayanne and David Archuleta. The Estefans adapted the song, dubbed “Somos el Mundo”. Univision is underwriting, co-producing and doing distribution of the song, which goes on sale next month.

Conan weighing live tour; next stop, Europe?

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Conan O'Brien may be taking his act on the road and even overseas. O'Brien's exit deal with NBC barred the former "Tonight" host from TV appearances for several months. He is weighing a tour that would take him directly to his fans, according to a person familiar with the proposal. The person, who was not authorized to publicly discuss the plans, spoke on condition of anonymity. Details are unsettled, the person said, but O'Brien may perform live in U.S. venues, including college campuses, and head to Europe. An O'Brien spokesman declined comment. The tour could be a prelude to a new talk show for the comedian, who left "Tonight" in January when NBC tried to bump him to a midnight slot. Possibilities include Fox, which expressed interest. Jay Leno reclaims "Tonight" next month.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Friday's Boys High School Basketball Scores

Central Columbia 48, Bloomsburg 33
Columbia Montour Vo-Tech 65, Sullivan County 60
Danville 66, Selinsgrove 40
Loyalsock 65, South Williamsport 44
Shikellamy 47, Shamokin 41
Williams Valley 59, Upper Dauphin 47
Williamsport 59, Altoona 44

GIRLS' High School BASKETBALL

Mifflinburg 53, Midd-West 39